Explosive device carrier



Dec. 5, 1944. H. E. MALONE ET AL EXPLOSIVE DEVICE CARRIER Filed Jan. 15,1941' 2 Sheets-Sheet l JUL/5Z7 0r?5+ HUmEFEH ZUnE 3Q JnfilmarM.EhaU:r:/s5

WW ATTORNEY.

1944- H. E. MALONE ET AL EXPLOSIVE DEVICE CARRIER Filed Jan. 15, 1941 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Jnuen 5:5

Harmer EMaZcma & lnfilmar' H.5Zzsllsrus5 W M ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 5, 1944 EXPLOSIVE DEVICE CARRIER Homer E. Malone,Milwaukee, and Wilmer M. Shallcross, Waukesha County, WisL, assignors toPerfex Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of WisconsinApplication January 15, 1941, Serial No. 374,422

8 Claims.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a device which willretain a plurality of articles in a prescribed arrangement untildispersal of the device and release of the articles is desired.

Another object is to provide a device which will safely retain a groupof bombs in a compact cluster so long as they are carried within anduntil shortly after they are released from a bombing plane, such devicedisposed to thereafter automatically disperse and permit the bombs tofall individually.

A further object is to provide a bomb rack which will safely carry aplurality of bombs as a single unit while in transit within a bombingplane, but which will permit the bombs to fall to their target asindividual units.

Other objects and advantages reside in certain novel features ofconstruction, arrangement, operation and combination of the parts whichwill be hereinafter more fully described in the specification, andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims, and of which thepreferred embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the mechanism showing four bombs in place,the two top right hand bombs (looking from the front) having beenremoved for clarity;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view in elevation taken along the line 22 ofFig. l and showing the locking mechanism of the device;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the device;

Fig. 4 is a second cross sectional view through the line 2-2 of Fi l,but shows the mechanism in the preliminary stages of dispersement;

Fig. 5 is a partial plan view from the top;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of a portion of the locking deviceillustrating the arrangement of the parts in the locked position;

Fig. '7 is an enlarged view of a portion of the locking device with theparts shown in the unlocked position;

Fig. 8 is a cross sectionalview from the front showing an alternativemethod of "arming the bombs; while Fig. 9 illustrates the preferredmethod of hanging the assembly.

While the invention is susceptible of various limit the invention to thespecific forms disclosed, 5

but rather to cover all modifications and alternative constructionsfalling within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Generally stated the invention contemplates providing a structure whichwill securely retain a number of bombs in a compact assembly or clusterwhile they are being carried within an airplane; which structure whenreleased from the airplane will continue to retain the bombs in theirconfinement until after a time delay of adjustable duration and aftersuch time delay will, by dispersal of the parts of the assembly, releasethe bombs and permit them to assume their own trajectory in a downwardflight toward the earth.

In order to conserve space as much as possible the invention utilizes anover center locking device which couples together by a rotary member allof the movable portions of the restraining mechanism. The time delaydevice is made to take the form of a rotary reaction bladeof highinertia which begins to rotate due to its motion through the air as soonas the structure is dropped from the airplane. Means are provided forsuddenly causing the propeller to cease rotating and for utilizing theenergy so derived for unlocking the locking device. Means are alsoprovided to enable the entire structure to be dropped withoutdisassembly in the event such is desired. Safety means are alsoincorporated to prevent premature detonation of the bombs In theprincipal structure this latter means takes the form of a number ofarming wires, one for each bomb, which are adapted to be pulled from asafe position to an armed position, thus arming the bombs, by a springwhose action in turn is controlled by the same propeller which causesthe operation of the locking device. In the modification of the device,as in the principal structure, the safety means consists of wiresengaging each of the bombs, but in the case of the modification thewires are fastened directly to the parts which ultimately disperse.These parts in themselves arm the bombs when dispersal occurs, theultimate difierence in the two modifications being that in the lattermodification a spring in cooperation with the propeller is not utilizedto positively pull the arming wires as in strap l6 and a right side rearstrap l1; and which include for the rear series of bombs a resilient topfront strap l8, a left side front strap I9, a right side front strap 2|,a top rear strap 22, a left side rear strap 23 and a right side rearstrap 24. Each of' the aforementioned straps is secured to backingmembers comprised of a pair of angle bars such as a top pair of angles25, a right side pair of angles 26 and a left side pair of angles 21,each of the straps being secured to only one pair of backing members.Thus the top front strap l2 and the top rear strap l5 for the frontseries of bombs l0, and the top front strap l8 and the top rear strap22for the rear series of bombs II, are attached to the pair of angles 25by any suitable means as by riveting. Similarly the left side frontstrap l3, and the left side rear strap l6 for the first series of bombsID, the left side front strap l9 and the left side rear strap 23 for therear series of bomb I, are secured to the left side pair of angles 21;and the right side front strap l4, the right side rear strap H, theright side front strap 2| and the right side rear strap 24 are securedto the right side pair of angles 26. Each of the straps is arranged tospan two bombs and the terminal ends of each strap are shaped to conformwith the contour of the bomb with which it engages. The front straps l2,I3 and M as well as the rear straps 22, 23 and 23, are arranged withtongue and groove engaging members so that when assembled they aremutually interlocking and relative lateral motion between the respectivetop, right and left assemblies is prevented. The rea'rstraps 5, l6 andI1, and the front straps l8, l9 and 2| when assembled are arranged toabut each other with a slight gap.

A lockingdevice serves to pull eachof the backing structures toward acommon center and in so doing to force all of the straps into intimateengagement with the bombs over which they extend and thus to hold themin a prescribed eompactarrangement whereby they outline substantially anequilateral triangle. Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 this locking device isshown to comprise three identical units shown at A, B and C, eachconsisting of a triangular rotor 28, and cooperating therewith a righthook member 29, a left hook member 3| and a top hook member 32. Securedto each hook member in any suitable manner such as by riveting orwelding is a connector strap illustrated respectively as a rightconnector 33, a left connector 34 and a top connector 35. The connectors33 and 34 are secured to their respective backing members 26 and 21 bymeans of pins 36 and 31 which pass through suitable apertures in the angular members and in the connectors. The pins are prevented from workingor falling out of place. by cotter keys passing through apertures intheir front ends. The top connector member 35 is provided with a T slotinto which the head of a T bolt 38 fits. A U-shaped bracket member 39isdisposed to fit over the opening between the top pair of angles 25 andto serve as'a bearing plate for the nut 4| whichis adapted to threadonto the T bolt 38 after the latter passes through a suitable aperturein the U bracket 39'. Itfwill be understood that when this nut 4| istightened the hook member 32 is made to bear (even more strongly on thetriangular rotor 28, causing it to be elevated and causing the hookmembers'29 and 3| and their respective connectors 33 and 34 to bestressed. This results in a clamping action and forces all of the strapsl2, l3, l4, l5, l6, l1, l8,'|9, 2|, 22, 23 and. 24 to bear against theirrespective bombs, thereby holding the bombs in a compact, rigid cluster.Because of the particular manner in which the rotor 28 and the hookmembers 29, 3| and 32 are shaped and disposed, when these members arestressed a moment of force is created which tends to rotate thetriangular rotary member 28 in a counterclockwise direction. (Refer toFig. 2.) An illustration of the force relationships is shown in Fig. 6.It will be seen that when the fiat sides of the triangular rotor 28 arein engagement with corresponding flat sides of the hooks 29, 3| and 32 aresultant line of force passes through a point to the right of thecenter of rotation of the rotor, thus producing the moment referred to.

Since the moment is in a counterclockwise direction and since the rotor28 1s already restrained from moving in this direction by the engagementof the fiat sides of the hooks with those of the rotor, there is noresultant motion of the rotor in either direction and it may be said tobe in a locked position.

If sufiicient external force in a clockwise direction is applied to therotor so as to overcome the counterclockwise moment the rotor will move.At it does so, the resultant line of force of the hooks willprogressively pass more nearly through the center of rotation of therotor, somewhat later through the center of rotation and finally passthrough a point to the left side of the center of rotation. As soon asthe latter condition exists a clockwise couple is created which ofitself then causes the rotor to rotate. This latter condition is shownin Fig. '7. When the rotor 28 rotates sufiiciently to disengage the tipsof the hooks 29, 3| and 32 from the apices of the triangular rotor 28,the backing structures are no longer restrained and they dis-'- persewith an initial force created by the spring action of the straps l2 to24 and continue to fall away by their own Weight or are blown away,permitting the bombs to fall away and disperse.

It will be understood that the clamping device just described isessentially an over center selflocking device. which serves to securelyhold the backing members together when in the locked position and yetdisposed to be easily operated with a minimum of short from a trippingdevice to unlatch the interlocking members which serve to hold theassembly together as an integral unit. By utilizing the over centeraction only a small amount of effort is required of the tripping deviceto control the much larger forces which are utilized to hold theassembly together.

Fig. .4 illustrates the arrangement of the parts Just following theclockwise unlocking action of the rotor 28, illustrating that the hooks29, 2| and 32 are just about to leave their contact with the rotor 28and showing the initial dispersal action of the backing structures madeup of the angles 25, 26 and 2'! and the straps l2 to 24 attachedthereto.

Since it is desired that the assembly be disassembled outside of theairplane which carries it, it is desirable to incorporate a time delaydevice which will actuate the locking mechanism some time after theassembly has left the airplane. A reaction wheel 42 is provided for thispurpose. When the assembly is dropped from the plane in an armedcondition (which expression will be explained later) it'has an initialforward velocity relative to the air, equal to that of theairplane whichcarries it. This relative velocity acting on the blades of the reactionmember 22 causes it to revolve in a clockwise direction on a shoulderscrew 43. After an interval of time, determined by the speed ofrevolution of the reaction member 42 and the length of the screw 63 overwhich the reaction member 42 must travel, the reaction member 42impinges against a shoulder 44 on the shoulder screw 43, causingsuifieient impact to cause the triangular rotors 28 to revolve clockwiseand release the hooks 29, 3! and 32 in the manner described above.

As shown in Fig. 2, each of the triangular rotors 28 shown at A, B and Care secured to a shaft 45 which transmits the rotary motion of theshoulder screw 53 to the rotors 28 at positions B and C; The fronttriangular rotor 28 serves as a coupling unit to couple together theshoulder screw 43 and the shaft 45 both of which, in the preferred form,are driven into the triangular rotor 28 and pinned. The reaction member42 is provided with a heavy rim in order that it may store sufficientenergy to unlock the assembly by its impetus when it engages theshoulder 44.

Means are provided to prevent lateral motion of the bombs within therack structure. In the preferred form this means takes the form of apair of adjacent lateral restraining brackets 46 secured to the top pairof angles 25, and a pair of adjacent lateral restraining brackets 41secured to the left side pair of angles 21 for the front series of bombsHi. The lateral restraining brackets 66 are positioned to engage eachside of bomb eyes 68 and 49 secured respectively to the left top bomband the right top bomb. The left side lateral restraining brackets Msimilarly engage each side of a hook 58 secured to the bottom bomb. Itwill be apparent from Fig. 2 that it is possible for the bombs to turn alimited amount about their axes when they are assembled. This turningmovement is limited by the bomb eyes 49 and ngaging either an'adjacentbomb or an angle member of the assembly. The lateral restrainingbrackets 46 and 41 are so shaped and arranged that regardless of thedegree of turning of the bombs within these limits the eyes .59 and 55can never completely dislodge themselves from within the openings formedby the brackets. Similar lateral restraining means are provided for therear series of bombs II. One of these may be seen in Fig. 1.

The entire structure is arranged to be supported by a pair of hooks 52secured to the top angles in any suitable manner as by riveting. Asuitable bomb shackle 53, which is no part of the invention, is adaptedto engage the hooks 52. The bomb shackle in turn is adapted to befastened to an internal structure of the airplane which is simulated asa structural member and hook 54 in Fig. 9.

In order to insure safe handling of the bombs while in transit, adequatearming devices are used. As is standard practice, each of the bombs isequipped with an arming pin. While this pin is under stress the bombcannot be detonated when handled in any ordinary manner. These pins aremaintained in the stressed position by means of a wire which passesthrough a suitable aperture in them. When the wire is withdrawn the pinis rendered free and the bomb is rendered armed and may be fired by anyimpact with the firing head. In the preferred structure while the bombsare within the rack, wires are passed through each of the arming pins. Aseries of front arming wires 55 are utilized to hold the arming pins ineach of the front bombs in unarmed position. Each of the front armingwires 55 has one of its ends secured to the front arming ring 56, andthe other of its ends passed through the arming pin of one of the frontbombs so that each bomb is independently controlled by a single wire. Ina similar manner rear arming wires 51 are attached to the rear armingring 58 at one end and to arming pins of the rear series of bombs II atthe otherend. A front main bomb arming wire 59 has one of its endssecured to the front arming ring 56 and its other end looped andrestrained by a main bomb arming pin 6| whose function and arrangementwill be described hereinafter. A connecting wire 62 has one of its endssecured to the front arming ring 56 and the other of its ends secured tothe rear arming ring 58 so as to connect the two rings 56 and 58together. An arming spring 63 is arranged in the opening between the twoangles 25 with one of its: ends secured to the rear arming ring 58 andthe other of its ends secured to a pin 64 passing through suitableapertures in each of the angles 25 and serving to restrain the springfrom movement. As may be readily seen from the Fig. 1, the arming spring63 serves to hold taut a wire assembly made up of the front main bombarming wire 59, the front arming ring 56, the connecting wire 62 and therear arming ring 58 so that when the front end of the main bomb armingwire is released the spring pulling on the arming rings 58 and 56indirectly pulls on the front arming wires 55 and rear arming wires 51causing them to be extracted from the apertures of the arming pins inthe bombs.

A master arming pin 65 is also provided. This pin 65 passes throughsuitable apertures in a U- shaped arming pin bracket 66 which may bestbe seen in Figs. 1 and 3. This arming pin bracket 66 is arranged withone of its legs extending in the opening between the pair of anglemembers 25 and is secured to the right angle of the top Pair of angles25 by means of a screw 61 which passes through an elongated slot 68 inthe right angle member (Fig. 1) and is threaded into the U- shapedbracket 66. By utilizing this fastening means the U-shaped bracket 66may be shifted along the angle member 25 for reasons which will beexplained hereinafter. The master pin 65 is biased in an upwarddirection by means of a compression spring 69, but is restrained fromupward movement when in the unarmed position by means of one end of themaster arming wire H which passes under the upper leg of the U- shapedarming bracket 66 and through a suitable aperture in the arming pin 65.The other end of the master arming wire H is provided with an eye and isarranged to fit in the arming opening '12 within the bomb shackle 53 asused for single bombs.

The means provided to actuate the main bomb arming pin 6i consists of anL-shaped actuator l3 secured to the front rotary member 28 as bystaking, As shown in Fig. 3, the main bomb arming pin 6| is secured tothe L- shaped actuator 13 at its right edge by means of a screw M whichpasses through the main arming pin 6i and threads into the L-shapedactuator 13. When the L-shaped actuator '53 rotates in a clockwisemannor with the triangular rotor 28. the pin 6| is pulled downwardly.The main arming pin'6l passes through a suitable aperture in the righthand angle member of the top pair of angles 25 and then through anS-shaped bearing member bombs without detonating them.

riveted to the right angle member 25. The

eye or the loop in the front end of the main bomb arming wire 59 isdisposed to fit within the passage formed by one side of the S-shapedmember 15 and the top side of the right angle member 25. The aperturesin the S-shaped bearing member 15 and the angle member serve'as guidesfor the pin 6i which passes through them as well as through the eye inthe end of the main bomb arming wire 59. When the main bomb arming pinEl is actuated by the L-shaped actuator 13, it is withdrawn from thesetwo apertures by its downward movement and allows the main bomb armingwire to be released. It will be noted that the master pin 65 passesthrough both the L- shaped actuator 13 and periphery of the reactionmember also that when it is in place neither the reaction member 42 northe L-shaped actuator 13 may be rotated and hence neither the bombs northe rack itself may be conditioned for detonation or dispersal. So longas this arming pin is in place the bomb assembly is entirely harmless.

Sometimes it is desired to drop a group of In this event the main armingwire H is dropped with the entire assembly by opening the latch in theopening 72 in the bomb shackle 53 at the same time that the hooks 52 arereleased. When this is latch controlling the opening 12 in the bombshackle 53 to remain in its locked position.

Under these conditions as soon as the assembly drops far enough toenable the master arming wire H to be withdrawn from. the aperture inthemaster arming pin 65, the compression spring '69 urges the arming pin55 in an upward direction causing it to withdraw from the openings inthe reaction member 42 and the L-shaped arming pin actuator l3permitting them to move when suitable forces are applied. When theassembly drops into the slip stream of the airplane the reaction member42 immediately begins to rotate as has'been described above. After someinterval of time the reaction member 52 engages the shoulder 4initiating a rotary movement of all of the members connected to theshoulder screw 43 and the shaft 45. "After a few degrees of rotation theL-shaped actuatormember 53 rotates sufliciently to withdraw the mainbombarming pin 6| from the apertures in the S-shaped bearing member 15 andthe top angle member 25, releasing the main bomb arming wire 59. Uponthis occurrence all of the bomb arming wires 55 and 51 are withdrawnfrom the bombs under the action of the tension coil spring 63'and thebombs are put into their armed condition. Shortly after this sequence ofevents the reaction member 42 revolves sufficiently farther to unlatchthe members restraining the bombs in their clustered position byrotating the rotor member 28 sufiiciently to unhook the hooks 29, 2| and32. The backing members then fall or are blown away and the bombs arefree to fall in their individual trajectories in an armed condition.Because of the relatively much higher air resistance offered by thestructural members of the assembly compared to that offered by thebombs, the structural members will beretarded in flight and the bombswill soon precede them in the flight toward earth.

It is apparent that the time delay created by the reaction member 42 isdependent upon the distance the reaction member 42 must travel along theshoulder screw 43. If the reaction member 42 is startedat the extremeend of the screw 43, the delay time will be longer, whereas if it isstarted near the shoulder 54 the delay time will be short. As shown inFig. 5, a scale 16 is inscribed on the left angle member 25 and an indexmark 11 is inscribed on the periphery of the reaction member 42. Byadjusting the reaction member 42 on the screw 43 to a given positionrelative to the scale E6, the time delay rendered may be set. This isdone when the bomb rack is loaded and before the main arming pin 65 isinserted. After adjustment of the reaction member 42 is made, theU-shaped bracket 66 is shifted along the front end of the angle member25 until the apertures through which the main arming pin 65 must passare in alignment. An elongated slot in the L-shaped actuator 13 permitsthis adjustment to be made.

Fig. 8 shows a modification in the method of arming the bombs. In thismodification rather than have the bombs armed through the use of a coilspring and trigger, each of the arming wires for the bombs are securedto one of the pair of backing .members of the rack assembly. If this isdone when the rack assembly disperses, after being tripped by thereaction wheel 132, the arming wires are withdrawn by the mere dispersalof the three pieces of the assembly. In the modification shown each ofthe arming wires 18 is looped at one end and made to pass within theopening formed by a pair of angle members. Pins 19 passing throughsuitable apertures in the angle members and through the openings in theloops serve to secure the arming wires to their respective pairs ofangle members.

It should be understood that the straps l2 to 24, among other reasons,are constructed to be resilient in order that the carrier device willreadily disperse when the clamping means is unlocked. When the device isin the assembled position the straps l2 to 24 act as cantilever springstending to urge the several backing structures away from the bombs. Whenthe clamping means releases the backing structures these structuresspring or fly away from the bombs under the spring force of the strapsI2 to 24 and permit the bombs to disperse without interference withportions of the carrier structure.

While the structure shown illustrates an arrangement for holding twoseparate clusters of bombs, it is obvious that the structure may beextended to accommodate any number of clusters of bombs. Similarly itmay be modified to include only one cluster of bombs.

While the preferred form of the invention has the connector means tohold the bombs together as a unit when the holding means is in a normalposition, and which is moved out of engagement with the connector meansto release the bombs when the holding means is turned to a releaseposition, a rotatable air motion responsive device set in rotation inresponse to falling of the carrier, means for suddenly diminishing thespeed of said device after a period of rotation thereof, and means forutilizing the resulting inertia force to rotate said release member toreleasing position.

2. In a carrier for a plurality of bombs, the combination of, aplurality of holding members each formed to engage at least a pair ofbombs, connector means extending from the holding members inwardlybetween the bombs, rotatable holding means having a portion whichengages the connector means to hold the bombs together as a unit whenthe holding means is in a normal position, and which is moved out ofengagement with the connector means torelease the bombs when the holdingmeans is turned toa release position, and means for rotating saidholding means to releasing position after the carrier is dropped.

3. In a carrier for a plurality of bombs, the combination of, aplurality of holding members each formed to engage at least a pair ofbombs, connector means extending from the holding members inwardlybetween the bombs, rotatable holding means having a portion whichengages the connector means to hold the bombs together as a unit whenthe holding means is in a normal position, and which is moved out ofengagement with the connector means to release the bombs when theholding means is turned to a release position, said connector means andsaid holding means being constructed and arranged relatively to eachother to cause the holding forces between the holding means and theconnector means to oppose initial rotation of said holding means towardreleasing position, a rotatable air motion responsive device set inrotation in response to falling of the carrier, means for suddenlydiminishing the speed of said device after a period of rotation thereof,and means for utilizing the resulting inertia force to rotate saidrelease member to releasing position.

4. In a carrier for a plurality of bombs, the combination of, aplurality of holding members each formed to engage at least a pair ofbombs, connector means extending from the holding members inwardlybetween the bombs, rotatable holding means having a portion whichengages the connector means to hold the bombs together as a unit whenthe holding means is in a normal position, and which is moved out ofengagement with the connector means to release the bombs when theholding means is turned to a release position, said connector means andsaid holding means being constructed and arranged relatively to eachother to cause the holding forces between the holding means and theconnector means to oppose initial rotation of said holding means towardreleasing position, and means for rotating said holding means toreleasing position after the carrier is dropped.

5. In a carrier for a plurality of bombs, the combination of, rotatableholding means adapted to be rotated from a normal position to areleasing position, a plurality of holding members each formed to engageat least one bomb, said holding means being so constructed and arrangedthat when in normal position it retains said holding members in positionto hold the bombs together as a unit, while releasing the holdingmembers upon movement to said releasing position for permitting thebombs to separate, said holding members and the holding means beingconstructed and arranged relatively to each other to cause the holdingforces between the holding members and said holding means to opposeinitial rotation of the holding means to releasing position, and meansfor rotating the holding means to releasing position after the carrieris dropped.

6. In a carrier for a plurality of bombs, the combination of, a bombholding member for holding a bomb to the carrier, a rotatable holdingmeans having a portion which engages the holding member to hold the bombto the carrier when the holding means is in a normal position and whichis moved out of engagement with the holding inember to release the bombwhen the holding means is turned to a release position, said bombholding member and holding means being constructed and arrangedrelatively to each other to cause the holding force to oppose initialrotation of the holding device toward said release position, and meansfor rotating said holding means to said release position after thecarrier is dropped.

7. In a carrier for a plurality of bombs, the combination of, a bombholding member for holding a bomb to the carrier, a rotatable holdingmeans having a portion which engages the holding member to hold the bombto the carrier when the holding means is in a normal position and whichis moved out of engagement with the holding member to release the bombwhen the holding means is turned to a release position, said bombholding member and holding means being constructed and arrangedrelatively to each other to cause the holding force to oppose initialmovement of the holding means toward said release position, and meansfor moving said holding means to said release position after the carrieris dropped.

8. In a carrier for a plurality of bombs each having separate armingdevices, the combination of, means for selectively holding said bombs asa unit or for releasing said bombs, air motion responsive means foractuating said means to release the bombs in response to air motion, andmeans also actuated by said air motion responsive means priorto releaseof the bombs for operating the arming device of each bomb.

HOMER E. MALONE. WILMER M. SHALLCROSS.

